A Decade Past
by Gryvon
Summary: Goh/Taki. Goh and Taki, ten years later.


The key turned easily in the lock, an action so common to Goh that it barely required thought. The door opened to his apartment – their apartment, the same one they'd shared for over a decade. It was more than an apartment. Originally just a place to live – a small shared space that housed their equipment, now it was a haven, a place of relaxation and a haven from the constant battles of the outside world. This was his home, more than any other place he'd ever lived. Goh'd give his life to protect this small space and the man who shared it with him.

He dropped his keyring by the door, not bothering to muffle the sound the metal made as it hit the wooden table. Taki already knew he was home, just from the sound of the door opening and the hour, but it didn't hurt to add a little extra warning. Taki really did not like it when Goh snuck up on him.

"I'm back," Goh called cheerfully. The smell of food filled the apartment, reminding him of the old sitcoms he had watched as a kid – the ones where the husband always came home from work to a hot, homemade dinner and a loving wife. His reality was different in a lot of ways from that idealized image, but for Goh it was close enough.

Taki would kill him if he knew Goh thought of Taki as his wife.

Shrugging off his coat, Goh pulled a hangar from the closet and hung his coat next to one of Taki's. His shoes were toed off before he stepped out of the recessed entranceway. He bent down out of forced habit to neatly arrange his shoes against the wall. There were some things, he'd learned, that Taki was quite fastidious about.

Goh padded quietly across the living room, the carpet muffling all but the barest sound of his movement. Their furniture was definitely better than it had been in the first few years of living here. They'd gone through two sets in a decade, mostly due to the considerable, and somewhat unorthodox, wear their furniture received. The apartment had also changed in more subtle ways. There were little signs of both of them around the room – photos of them together or with their friends, the dip in the couch where they normally sat snuggled together. Their lives had meshed so tightly that Goh couldn't imagine what life would be like without Taki in it. Or more precisely, he knew he wouldn't have a life without Taki.

Closing his eyes, Goh smiled as he pictured what Taki would look like right now, standing in front of the stove in the cute apron that Goh had bought for him. Taki complained about it but he still wore it anyways and Goh thought it was the most adorable sight on the face of the planet. But really, nothing could win when compared to Taki. Opening his eyes, he continued on his way towards their bedroom.

His smile widened as he passed the picture of him and Taki on top of the TV. They had been younger when the picture was taken, but no less happy. They'd been in the park for the cherry blossom festival and had finally managed to sneak away from Kanji and the others for a moment. Kanji had caught them under one of the cherry trees and taken the picture without them realizing he was there. There wasn't much to the picture, just Goh with his hand on Taki's cheek, but it was one of the best presents Kanji had ever given them.

Goh stepped into the bedroom almost reluctantly. Left to his own devices, he probably would have stood there staring at the photograph all evening. But Taki was in the kitchen and Goh was already fighting the instinct to head straight for his lover.

He dropped his wallet and cell phone on the bedside table – the left side, his side. Opening the drawer, he dropped a folded slip of paper from his pocket inside, where it landed among a pile of similar receipts. Marks of jobs successfully completed. His shirt was tossed aside to join the rest of the dirty laundry on the floor. It was his turn to do laundry but it could wait until tomorrow.

A cough interrupted his thoughts. Taki leaned against the doorframe. The apron was absent, most likely left folded over one of the kitchen chairs.

"You're late."

Goh shrugged easily and grinned at his lover. "Hatozaki was talkative today."

Taki didn't respond, though his eyes followed Goh as he moved over to the dresser. Goh pulled a black t-shirt out of the drawer before turning back.

"Should I even bother putting this on now?" He smiled suggestively at Taki as he held up the shirt. It was a common offer, one that Taki took him up on most of the time.

This time wasn't one of them. Taki shook his head and gestured back towards the kitchen. "I'm still cooking."

"It can wait."

Years ago, he would have gotten punched for a comment like that. Now Taki just smiled and shifted slightly on his feet. "You can wait."

Goh accepted the answer easily. He wasn't in any hurry. He'd just handed in the results of their last mission, which meant they had at least the next two days to themselves. Besides, Taki was always more into it when they didn't rush.

Taki started to turn back towards the kitchen but Goh caught him, encircling his arms lightly around the blonde's waist. The skin at the base of Taki's neck tasted salty with perspiration, which meant that Taki was baking something. That guaranteed him at least a few more minutes until Taki had to head back into the kitchen.

Goh's lips traveled upwards over exposed skin, leaving a line of light pink marks in their wake. Taki shivered in his arms, his lips parting in a soft sigh of pleasure. He didn't make any move to escape so Goh let his hands wander. The fabric of Taki's jeans was rough under his hands, growing obviously tighter as he cupped Taki from the front.

In the kitchen a timer went off, causing both men to curse.

Taki slipped easily from his grip and heading back to the kitchen to rescue their dinner from the oven. Smiling to himself, Goh pulled on his t-shirt and followed. 


End file.
